Find the patterns worth sharing
Review existing screens, brand guidance and repeated elements such as navigation, forms and status displays. Identify meaningful differences before deciding what should be common. The first scope should cover used patterns, not a large catalogue of speculative components that the product may never require.
Define appearance and behaviour together
Agree how shared elements present information, respond to input and show empty, pending or error states. Usage guidance should explain when a pattern applies and when it does not. A design system can inform implementation, but coded components and migration of existing screens require explicit scope.
Bring the product and its maintainers
Share representative screens, current inconsistencies and the people who approve design changes. We agree the pattern set, deliverable format and responsibility for updates. Brand identity establishes visual direction; the design system applies that direction to recurring product interfaces and their interaction rules.